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Book 



Copyright N n _ 



COPYRIGHT DEPOSrT. 
























































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FLORAS FAIRY 

FORGET ME NOT 

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Laura Rountree Srtiith/ 9 

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THE TRADE MARK 



for the 

HAPPY CHILD 

























Copyright 1923 
Stanton & Van Vliet Co. 
Chicago, Ill. 

Printed in United States of America 


* 


* * 


OCT 26 *23 

©C1A700550 

I Q , l \ 


CHAPTER 1 

THE LOLLIPOP LADIES 


Says Little Fairy Forget-Me-Not, 

“I hope you like to read.” 

Flora and Fred in Fairyland 
Answer, “Yes, indeed.” 

One day the Calico Girl came running 
in to see Flora and Fred, singing, 

“The Lollipop Ladies are very fine; 

The Lollipop Ladies stand in line.” 

Flora and Fred said almost in one 
breath, “Who are the Lollipop Ladies? 
What are the Lollipop Ladies? How can 
we see the Lollipop Ladies?” 

The Calico Girl stood first on one foot 
and then on the other and said, 


3 


4 


Fairy Forget-Me-Not 


“Come on, come on, let’s hippity-hop, 
Off and away to the Old Toy Shop.” 

Fred had on his little, blue cap, but 
Flora did not stop for hat or sunbonnet. 
She only picked up the neighbor’s little 
boy who always asked questions and was 
nick-named Willie Why. 

The Calico Girl said, 

“We will run and never stop, 

’Till we come to the little Toy Shop.” 

The Calico Girl had such a queer name 
because morning, noon, and night, she 
wore calico and always longed for a bet¬ 
ter dress. She said to the other children, 

“My hair is bobbed and beginning to curl, 
I’m a very happy Calico Girl.” 

On the children ran until they came to 
the Toy Shop. 


Fairy Forget-Me-Not 


5 


The Lollipop Ladies stood in line; 

The children cried, “Hurrah! they are 
fine; 

They are dressed in rainbow colors, too, 

Violet, green and red and blue.” 

Willie Why said, “Why are the Lolli¬ 
pops dressed up like ladies? Why are they 
standing in line? Why don’t we buy some 
Lollipop Ladies?” 

He always asked “Why,” morning, 
noon and night. 

Fred said, 

“Every Lollipop Lady is surely a peach, 

But look at the sign—‘One cent each.’ ” 

Now Flora felt in her apron pocket, 
and Fred felt in his trouser pocket, and 
the Calico Girl rattled her empty purse 
in her pocket and Willie Why said, “Why 
doesn’t some one give us a cent?” 


6 


Fairy Forget-Me-Not 


Brother Barker, who had followed 
them, said, “Bow-wow-wow.” 

The children counted the Lollipop La¬ 
dies. There were seven of them in line. 
It was a wonderful window. 

The wobbly, wooden camel stared 
proudly at them and said, 

“Why you’ve no money nobody knows; 

You spent it yesterday, I suppose.” 

The Mechanical Duck stretched his 
head clear out of sight but quacked, 

“I hope some day you will come back 
To the old Toy Shop, quack! quack! 
quack!” 

The Foot-ball in the window said, 

“Save up a penny and save a dime; 

Money will help you have a good time.” 


Fairy Forget-Me-Not 


7 


The Doll’s furniture whispered some¬ 
thing and 

The Lollipop Ladies in dresses so fine 

Began to dance up and down in line. 

The children said, “There are seven 
Lollipop Ladies and we will name them 
for days of the week—Monday, Tuesday, 
Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, 
Sunday.” 

“We hope they’ll not be sold today, 

Or any of them be given away.” 

The Calico Girl said, 

“I must take my apples home by and by, 

For mother is going to make a pie.” 

Just then the Every-Day-Toy-Man 
came to the door smiling and said, 


8 


Fairy Forget-Me-Not 


“Are the Lollipop Ladies out of your 
reach? 

They are truly a bargain at one cent 
each.” 

The children ran home, saying over 
and over, 

“Oh for a penny, oh for a penny, 

Children never have very many; 

A penny to keep and a penny to spend, 

A penny to save and a penny to lend.” 

When the Calico Girl got home, Mother 
said, 

“I’m waiting for you, my oven is hot. 

Did you meet Fairy Forget-Me-Not?” 

The Calico Girl peeled the apples for 
Mother’s pie and all the time she seemed 
to see 

Gay Lollipop Ladies, as you suppose, 

In dainty tissue paper clothes. 


Fairy Forget-Me-Not 
Fred went home and Mother said, 


9 


“You were going to mow the lawn, my 
dear; 

Fairy Forget-Me-Not called here.” 
Mother said to Flora, 

“You were going to dust my room today 
But Fairy Forget-Me-Not went away.” 

Willie Why's Mother said, 

“You forget to tell me ‘good-bye,’ 
How will you remember, Willie Why? 
What a tiny memory you’ve got; 

I’ll call the Fairy Forget-Me-Not.” 

One and all of the children cried, “Who 
is Fairy Forget-Me-Not?” 

Some Mothers said, “She is a Fairy 
small,” 

Some Mothers answered not at all. 


10 


Fairy Forget-Me-Not 


The children tried to remember what 
their mothers said, and when work was 
over, 

Away they all went, hippity hop, 

Away, away to the Old Toy Shop. 

Next day the Lollipop Lady they had 
named “Monday” was gone. In a few 
days the “Tuesday” doll was gone and 
then “Wednesday.” 

Only four Lollipops hung in line, 

Four Lollipops under the one cent sign. 

Willie Why said, “Why do children all 
buy Lollipops and why don’t we buy any?” 

The Calico Girl sighed and said, 

“We are sorry we can’t buy any; 

Between us all we haven’t a penny.” 

Now Fairy Forget-Me-Not looks after 
good children who try to help their moth- 


Fairy Forget-Me-Not 


11 


ers, and she said to an old lady who want¬ 
ed children to mail her letters, 

“For little things you ask, like these, 
Don’t forget the pennies, please.” 

The Old Lady said, “Dear me, of course 
I will pay the children for doing my er¬ 
rands.” 

An old gentleman wanted his paper 
brought from the news stand every day 
and Fairy Forget-Me-Not whispered in 
his ear, 

“They never would think to ask for any, 

But Fred and Flora deserve a penny.” 

By and by the children were really 
earning pennies. It felt fine to have them 
jingle in their pockets and all the week 
they longed for Saturday to come, and 
they talked about Lollipop Ladies. They 
said, 


12 


Fairy Forget-Me-Not 


“The Lollipop Ladies are a treat 
They all are pretty and good to eat; 
They hang up high, out of reach, 
Lollipop Ladies at one cent each.” 

When Saturday came, the children ran 
to the old Toy Shop with Brother Barker 
at their heels. 

They cried, “Now we have our pennies 
and, oh dear! oh dear! the Lollipop Ladies 
all are gone.” 

The Every-Day-Toy-Man said, “We’ll 
have in more Lollipops Monday or Tues¬ 
day, or Wednesday, or Thursday, or Fri¬ 
day, or Saturday, or Sunday. 

The children stood and stared in the 
Toy Shop window. 

Now, wasn’t it queer, on the following 
Monday the Calico Girl, and Willie Why, 
and Fred and Flora said at exactly the 


Fairy Forget-Me-Not 


13 


same hour they did not want to go to 
school? And wasn’t it queer they all had 
mumps on the following Monday and 
dreamed about 

Seven Lollipop Ladies, fresh and fine, 
Dancing upon a wire line. 

Now Fairy Forget-Me-Not whispered 
to the Mothers of these good children and 
when Saturday came delightful things 
began to happen. The Calico Girl and 
Willie Why, who did not feel ill at all, ran 
in to see Flora and Fred, who were still 
in bed, and cried, “We have a surprise.” 

Each of the children had a box, and as 
they opened their boxes out came four 
Lollipops, and four sheets of tissue paper, 
and four pairs of scissors, and soon they 
went snip-snap at the paper and soon 
they made 

Lollipop Ladies in a row, 

And hung them up to all bow low; 


14 


Fairy Forget-Me-Not 


And made them fat, and funny, and 
fair, 

They made them big - , round eyes to 
stare. 

They had so much fun they forgot to 
ask where the boxes came from, but 
Fairy Forget-Me-Not knew something 
about it. 

That evening the Every-Day-Toy-Man 
came “rap-a-tap” at the door. 

He saw the Lollipop Ladies four and 
twenty, 

For the children decided to make 
plenty. 

Mother had been to the store and or¬ 
dered more when she saw how the chil¬ 
dren enjoyed the fun. 

The Every-Day-Toy-Man said, 

“I’ll pay for every one you dress; 

You will be wealthy then, I guess.” 


Fairy Forget-Me-Not 


15 


The children cried, “Hurrah for the 
Every-Day-Toy-Man! Hurrah for the 
pennies! Hurrah for the Lollipop Ladies! 
Hurrah for the mumps and staying in 
doors! Hurrah! Hurrah! We never had 
such fun before.” 

They began to make Lollipop girls and 
boys and dressed them in all colors, and 
they dreamed of all the pennies they 
could earn. 

Fairy Forget-Me-Not said, 

“In the hospital across the way, 
Longer in bed the children stay; 
Some Lollipops you might give away 
To the sick children across the way.” 

The Calico Girl said, “I will give away 
some Lollipops,” and for once Willie Why 
nodded his head and 

He didn’t ask why, and didn’t cry; 

He didn’t look sad and didn’t sigh. 


16 


Fairy Forget-Me-Not 


Flora and Fred cried, “Hurrah! Hur¬ 
rah!” 

“We will make Lollipop Ladies to 
give away, 

And by and by make some for pay; 
Oh, we have had such a happy day, 
Every-Day-Toy-Man, what do you 
say?” 

The Every-Day-Toy-Man smiled a 
grown-up smile, and said, 

“Please lend me seven to put on my 
line, 

I’ll take orders for they look just 
fine; 

And many a boy and girl will stop 
And come in and order a Lollipop,” 

The children cried, 

“Hurrah, hurrah, your idea is fine; 
Hang the Lollipop Ladies under your 
sign.” 


Fairy Forget-Me-Not 


17 


The Every-Day-Toy-Man went away 
with seven Lollipop Ladies in his pocket. 

The Lollipop Ladies singing on the line 
in the Every-Day-Toy-Shop sang a song 
which you and I could hear if we hap¬ 
pened to be passing by, 

“Lollipop Ladies sing and say, 

Try to make some one happy today; 
We are very small, but we can teach, 
We bring happiness at one cent 
each.’ ” 

They sang then, to the tune of “Lightly 
Row,” 

“To and fro, to and fro, 

Little Ladies on the line 
Dance away, dance away, 
Underneath the sign. 

Lollipops are quite a treat, 

Boys and girls we love to meet, 
Very sweet, good to eat, 
Lollipops are fine.” 


18 


Fairy Forget-Me-Not 


The children made so many Lollipop 
Ladies, and for all I know they are mak¬ 
ing- them yet. 

And now they laugh with merriment, 
Saying once on a time we wanted a 
cent.” 


Chapter Two 

ON THE FRUIT FARM 
















CHAPTER 2 
ON THE FRUIT FARM 

Says Little Fairy Forget-Me-Not, 

“To do your tasks you’d better.” 
Says little Fairy Forget-Me-Not, 
“Today you’ll get a letter.” 


Flora and Fred woke early one fall day 
and Flora said, “I wonder when we will 
hear of Fairy Forget-Me-Not again.” 


Fred said, “I see something floating 
down outside our window.” The children 
dressed in a hurry and ran out-doors. 
They picked up a little round red piece of 
card-board, shaped like an apple. It was 
cut double and inside was written, 


21 


22 


Fairy Forget-Me-Not 


“Grandma and Grandpa long to see 
Children for pleasant company; 

To the farm then off and away 
And have a pleasant holiday.” 

Flora said, “I wonder if Fairy Forget- 
Me-Not wrote this letter. She is always 
remembering some one.” 

Fred said, “Fairy Forget-Me-Not is al¬ 
ways thinking about someone. Perhaps 
we had better write Grandma and Grand¬ 
pa a letter.” 

At breakfast time that morning, the 
postman came and the children came 
dancing in, calling, 

“A letter, a letter for Flora and Fred; 

We thought we’d write a letter in¬ 
stead.” 

The letter was from Grandma and she 
asked the children to come to the Fruit 


Fairy Forget-Me-Not 


23 


Farm for a week. She said there was 
plenty of work to be done and plenty for 
play. She said, 

“Some one may fill old Grandpa’s pipe, 

And apples are ripe, apples are ripe.” 

“May we go, may we go at once to the 
Fruit Farm?” asked the children in one 
breath. 

“What suit shall I wear?” asked Fred. 

“What dress shall I wear?” asked Flora. 

“What shall we take Grandma and 
Grandpa?” asked the children excitedly. 

Mother said, “You may pack the trusty, 
old travelling bag, and I will make a cake 
for Grandma, and then you may run to 
the store and buy a bag of peppermint 
candy for Grandpa.” 


24 


Fairy Forget-Me-Not 


It was fun to run to the store and buy 
candy, and it was fun to tell the children 
they met that they were going to the 
Fruit Farm on the train that day. 

Mother said, 

“I will not worry while you’re away; 

Mind Grandpa and Grandma every 
day.” 

Fred sometimes forgot to mind, but 
Flora said, “We will be good, Mother.” 

The children took the trusty, old trav¬ 
elling-bag and started away, calling, 
“Good bye, Good bye.” 

Mother called after them, 

“Oh dear, we’ve made a sad mistake; 

We all forgot dear Grandma’s cake.” 

Back the children bounded and soon 
packed the cake in a box, which exactly 


Fairy Forget-Me-Not 


25 


fitted in the trusty, old travelling-bag. 
Away they went, waving their little, col¬ 
ored handkerchiefs in the breeze. 

Father called, 

“Come back a minute, children I pray, 

I will send a new pipe to Grandpa 
Gray.” 

The children came back and packed 
the new pipe in the trusty,old travelling- 
bag. 

They said, 

“Mother and Father, good-day, good-day, 
We’re off and away, off and away.” 

Fred said, with a twinkle in his eyes, 
“We will not go back this time.” 

Flora said, “We are well started this 
time.” 


26 


Fairy Forget-Me-Not 


Suddenly, without a word of warning, 
Flora stubbed her toe and down she fell 
in a mud puddle. Her dress was splashed 
and her sunbonnet was splashed, and she 
left Fred sitting down on the trusty old 
travelling-bag, while she ran back and 
put on a clean dress and sunbonnet. 

Fred said, 

“We are well started at any rate; 

Hurry, hurry, we’re almost late.” 

Sure enough, the bell was ringing and 
the conductor was calling, “All aboard! 
All aboard!” 

They ran as fast as their fat, little legs 
could carry them. 

The bell rang, the whistle blew, and 
they were on their way to Grandpa Gray’s 
Fruit Farm. 


Fairy Forget-Me-Not 27 

Suddenly the cars stopped. The engine 
had broken down. 

The children said, 

“This will make a delay. What will Grand¬ 
ma say? 

We thought we were really off and 

away.” 

They took out their trusty, old travel- 
ling-bag and ate their lunch, to make the 
time seem shorter. 

It was late in the day when the engine 
was repaired and they arrived at the 
Fruit Farm just in time for supper. 

The children ran through the apple 
orchard. There were apples—apples ev¬ 
erywhere! Apples on the trees! Apples 
on the ground! Apples on the stone wall! 
Apples everywhere they looked. 



28 


Fairy Forget-Me-Not 


They said, “What a good time we will 
have in the apple orchard tomorrow.” 

Grandma Gray cut her new cake for 
supper and said, “How glad I am to have 
two willing helpers. We will pick apples 
all day tomorrow.” 

They did not pick apples next day for 
it rained and rained. 

Grandpa Gray sat in the corner and 
smoked his new pipe and Grandma Gray 
taught the children a new kind of play. 
She said, 

“You can have fun, you understand, 

If you only spread out your wee, white 
hand.” 

She had each child spread out his hand 
and draw around the thumb and fingers. 
She said, “You can write a lesson on the 
thumb.” 


Fairy Forget-Me-Not 


29 


The children were pleased to do this 
and wrote on the thumb, 

“The first lesson of Grandma Gray 
Is, learn to obey, learn to obey.” 

She showed them how to write the next 
verse on the first finger of the hand they 
had drawn. They wrote, 

“Be cheerful in work and cheerful in 
play,” 

So says dear old Grandmother Gray.” 

On the middle finger they wrote, 

“Be not afraid of things you see; 
Have courage, be brave, as brave as 
can be.” 

On the ring finger they wrote, 

“Say every morning, noon and night, 

I have faith; things will come right.” 


30 


Fairy Forget-Me-Not 


On the little finger they wrote, 

“Learn this lesson every hour, 

To be friendly is in your power.” 

The children said, “What fine lessons! 
What wonderful lessons! We will play 
the fingers say the verses over and over.” 

Flora and Fred were glad when the 
time came to gather apples. They gath¬ 
ered baskets and baskets full, and helped 
pack boxes and barrels. 

Grandma said to Flora and Fred, “You 
may pick all over the orchard, 

“But remember one thing, please, 
When alone, don’t climb the trees.” 

The children had a merry time. Fred 
went all alone down to the south end of 
the pasture. How inviting the trees 
looked. How big the apples looked way up 
on the branches. It would do no harm, he 



COPR. THE KNAPP C 












Fairy Forget-Me-Not 


31 


was sure, to climb up on the wall and 
reach a few very big apples from the tree. 
He scrambled up on the wall and filled his 
cap with rosy, red apples. Then some of 
the apples were just out of reach. He 
liked to climb trees so well! Thinking 
Grandma would not care, he climbed up, 
up, up, and all went well until he started 
down; then suddenly, without a word of 
warning, he caught and hung head down¬ 
ward. 

“Help! Help!” called Fred. 

“Help! Help!” replied echo. 

“I should have minded Grandma,” said 
Fred. 

“Minded Grandma,” replied echo. 

Fred cried, “I want a lift. I want help, 
help, help.” 


32 


Fairy Forget-Me-Not 


Fairy Forget-Me-Not at this very mo¬ 
ment whispered to Flora in the north end 
of the pasture, 

“ ‘Keep together/ Mother said; 

Better go and look for Fred.” 

Flora ran through the orchard and 
heard Fred crying “Help! Help!” and an¬ 
swered, “I am coming, Fred. I am com¬ 
ing.” She scrambled up on the stone wall 
but could not reach the branch where 
Fred hung, for a few more dreadful mo¬ 
ments he had to hang there, until Grand¬ 
pa came and took him down in his strong 
arms. 

“I am as tnankful as I can be 
You rescued he from the apple 
tree.” 

Grandpa did not like to scold, so he said, 

“Everything will have a turn, 

Live and learn, live and learn.” 


Fairy Forget-Me-Not 33 

Grandpa took Fred on one knee and 
Flora on the other, when they got home, 
and began to smoke. He said, “I will tell 
you some very old stories about apples 
and you can call them Pipe Dreams, if 
you want to.” 

“In the Norse Land the Gods eat apples 
to keep young. You have read, of course, 
too, in Fairy Tales, about the Golden Bird 
who looks for the golden apples. 

“The Germans tell of a girl who be¬ 
friended the little dwarfs and they gave 
her an apron full of apples. When she 
reached home the apples turned to gold. 

“In merry, old England they still dance 
around an apple tree instead of a May 
Pole. 

“I could tell you so many stories about 
apples, we would never have time to go 


34 


Fairy Forget-Me-Not 


to bed. Do you remember how Atlanta 
lost her race by stooping to pick up a 
tempting apple?” 

Just then Grandma brought in a dish 
of apples and said, 

“Pare them carefully and see 
Who your next sweetheart will 
be.” 

Flora and Fred laughed and pared 
their apples carefully until the long peel¬ 
ing curled round and round. They threw 
the peeling over their left shoulders and 
laughed and laughed, for each one of the 
peeling spelled the letter “F.” They said, 
“We are each other’s sweethearts and al¬ 
ways hope to be.” 

The children went to bed and when 
they turned on the light, “Oh my, Oh my!” 


Fairy Forget-Me-Not 


35 


There on the bureau stood an apple¬ 
shaped candy box and under it was a 
card, 

“Thank you for picking - apples red, 
From Grandma and Grandpa to Flora 
and Fred.” 

The children ran back downstairs and 
kissed Grandma and Grandpa on both 
cheeks and all night long they dreamed 
they were picking apples in a Fairy Or¬ 
chard. 


Chapter Three 

/ 

DONALD DUNCE 


CHAPTER 3 

DONALD DUNCE 

Oh Donald Dunce, you’d better try, 
You cannot learn while you sit and 
sigh; 

You’ll be a big boy by and by, 

Oh Donald Dunce, you’d better try. 

One day Flora and Fred woke up hap¬ 
py. They were happy while they dressed, 
and happy while they ate breakfast, and 
happy while they ran along to school. 
Fairy Forget-Me-Not whispered in their 
ears, 

“I’ll teach you lessons, if you don’t mind; 
Never forget that you can be kind.” 

Flora and Fred laughed and said, “Do 
you mean we must be kind to little But- 


39 


40 


Fairy Forget-Me-Not 


ton-Off, and Sulky Sue, and Tardy Tim, 
and to Donald Dunce?” 

At the word “Dunce” Flora and Fred 
stood still and looked at each other and 
said, “Wouldn’t it be awful to be a Dunce? 
Wouldn’t it be awful not to know your 
times table, and spelling and not to be 
able to read good story books?” 

Willie Why came by and said, “Why 
are you standing still? Why don’t you go 
on to school? Why didn’t you stay on the 
farm? Why don’t you give me an apple?” 

The Calico Girl came along swinging 
her calico sunbonnet and they all talked 
about the Dunce. 

He wouldn’t learn, or he couldn’t learn, 
He never knew when came his turn 
He scowled at work and scowled at play, 
He sometimes even ran away. 


Fairy Forget-Me-Not 


41 


He did not care a bit, he said, 

And wore a Dunce cap on his head. 

Tis better far to laugh than cry, 

The Dunce can learn, if he will try. 

“Think of his poor, dirty clothes,” said 
Fred. “If I wore torn stockings, I would 
be thinking about them instead of my 
lessons, I am sure.” 

“I wonder if he had a good breakfast, 
and has a good lunch in his lunch pail,” 
said Flora. 

“Why do you bother about the Dunce?” 
asked Willie Why. “Perhaps he will be a 
good boy today.” 

The Calico Girl said, 

“Perhaps the Dunce would try to mind, 

If we helped him learn; let’s all be 

kind.” 


42 


Fairy Forget-Me-Not 


“I hated my first day in school,” said 
Flora, “and I always had Fred near.” 

“Perhaps the Dunce feels strange in 
this school, too,” said the Calico Girl. 

They met little Button-Off, and Sulky 
Sue, and little Bennie Behind-Hand was 
running breathlessly along. 

Willie Why said, “Why are you always 
in such a hurry? Why are you late?” 

The children were full of play in that 
school. 

When Fred stood up to read and held 
his First Reader proudly in his hand, Wil¬ 
lie Why drew a picture on his slate and 
turned it round so Donald Dunce could 
see it. Of course the Dunce laughed and 
had to go and sit on the step with the 
Dunce cap on. He didn’t care whether 
school kept or not. He threw his Reader 


Fairy Forget-Me-Not 


43 


and Arithmetic on the floor and set his 
slate down beside him. He felt so cross 
he just added numbers any way he 
pleased. 

He did not take the slightest interest 
in the Reading Lesson, and did not care 
a bit when the children found out in the 
Five Times Table that their answers end¬ 
ed in 0 or 5. 

They learned this little verse, 

“5 x 1 are 5, 5x2 are 10, 

5x3 are 15, Say them all again. 

5x4 are 20, 5x5 are 25, 

5x6 are 30, It’s good to be alive. 

5x7 are 35, 5x8 are 40, 

5x9 are 45, We must not be naughty. 

5 x 10 are 50, 5 x 11 are 55, 

5 x 12 are 60, To be correct we strive.” 


44 


Fairy Forget-Me-Not 


The children learned their Five Times 
Table backward and forward, and 
learned to multiply big numbers by five. 

Very still sat Donald Dunce, 

He didn’t even look up once; 

He held his head between his hands, 
He said “I cannot understand.” 

The teacher tried helping and by and 
by let him alone. Then, when recess came, 
Flora and Fred asked the teacher some¬ 
thing and she agreed. 

Flora and Fred went up to the Dunce 
and said, 

“Take off your cap, please, Donald Dunce, 
The teacher says you’re excused this 
once.” 

The Dunce was so surprised he did not 
know what to say and went out on the 
playground with Flora and Fred. When 


Fairy Forget-Me-Not 


45 


recess was over he came in rosy and smil¬ 
ing and Fred sat beside him and helped 
him with his Five Times Table. 

Flora and Fred, and the Calico Girl, 
and Sulky-Sue, and Bennie Behind-Hand 
helped him all day. Willie Why asked, 
“Why doesn’t someone help me?” 

When the Dunce wanted to whisper or 
shuffle his feet, Flora made him write a 
copy neatly ten times. The copy was “I 
will be good.” The Dunce showed a row 
of white teeth and smiled as he wrote his 
copy. 

When noon came Flora and Fred said 
to each other, 

“We are up-to-date children, if you 
please, 

We know useful things like these; 

As children ’tis easier to be good 

If we have the proper food.” 


46 


Fairy Forget-Me-Not 


They asked Donald Dunce to eat lunch 
with them and he did not even have a 
dinner pail. He only had a sandwich 
wrapped in a piece of brown paper. 

Said the children, “We know for once 

Why you go by the name of Dunce; 

Brown bread and apples and something 
good 

You should have in your lunch for food.” 

Donald Dunce laughed and said he 
never had time to pack a lunch. “What 
are you so busy about?” asked Flora and 
Fred. 

Donald Dunce laughed and said, 

“Ha! ha! ha! since you ask it, 

I am making a wonderful basket.” 

Flora and Fred said, “What kind of a 
basket is it? Where did you learn how to 












































Fairy Forget-Me-Not 


47 


make a basket? What are you making 
it of?” 


Donald Dunce said he was making a 
reed basket with a wooden bottom. He 
said he had learned to weave very smooth¬ 
ly and when the basket was finished he 
would bring it to school. 

That night Fred asked Mother if he 
couldn’t give the Dunce a pair of stock¬ 
ings. 

Mother thought some time and said, 
“Perhaps Donald would not like that, but 
you may invite him to come over and 
show you how to make a basket, and you 
can pay him twenty-five cents for the les¬ 
son. 

Donald Dunce was proud and happy, 
you may be sure, and when his teacher 
learned that he knew how to do one thing 
well, she sent and got the material, and 


48 


Fairy Forget-Me-Not 


let Donald go up and down the aisles and 
help her teach the children how to make 
baskets of reeds the right size to hold 
flower-pots. 

Donald Dunce began to try to like 
school. He began to study his reading 
and arithmetic. 

He did not sit in the corner except that 
once, 

Dear little, queer little Donald Dunce. 

The teacher said one day, “I have found 
a new kind of Dunce Caps and they all 
have letters and words upon them. We 
all will wear Dunce Caps and play games 
today, for our lessons were well done.” 

The children all put on the Dunce Caps 
and read the acrostics upon them. They 
read from each others’ caps, 

Do your duty every day; 

Unto all “Good Morning” say; 


Fairy Forget-Me-Not 


49 


Never make fun of any one; 

Count your blessings up for fun. 
Every place, wear a pleasant face. 

The children played games and every 
child could tell some time when he or she 
had been a Dunce. 

Said the Calico Girl, “I remember once 

I forgot my rubbers, I was a Dunce.” 

Said Willie Why, “I remember once 

I overslept, I was a Dunce.” 

Said Bennie Behind-Hand, “More than 
once 

I forgot the time, I was a Dunce.” 

Flora and Fred said, “We are happy, if 

only once 

We, either one, are called a Dunce.” 

They played a cute game later. They 
stood in a circle and one child in the cen¬ 
tre had a Dunce Cap. They all clapped 
hands, danced round and sang to the 
tune of “Lightly Row,” 


50 


Fairy Forget-Me-Not 


“Only once, only once, 

Will you be the school-room 
Dunce; 

Only once, only once, 

Will you be the Dunce. 

Everything will have a turn, 

And we have so much to learn; 
Only once, only once, 

Will you be the Dunce.” 

A child in the centre asked any child 
to answer a combination of numbers on 
his cap, as 2+4 or 2X4 or any simple sum 
on his cap. If he failed, he became the 
Dunce. If he answered correctly, the 
game continued until the child with the 
Dunce Cap could catch some one to take 
his place. 

The children had a merry time. 

They all helped Donald Dunce so much 
that he began to wear clean clothes, and 


Fairy Forget-Me-Not 


51 


he began to eat good food, and he began 
to learn his lessons, and he was a happy, 
good, smiling boy. 

He was really cross and stupid once, 
“But now I like school,” says Donald 
Dunce. 






Chapter Four 

A MODERN RED-RIDING- 

HOOD 
















V 






















CHAPTER 4. 

A MODERN RED-RIDING-HOOD 

“I’ll help, if I am on the spot,” 

Says Little Fairy Forget-Me-Not; 
“Courage in work, and courage in 
play, 

‘Remember courage,’ is what I say.” 


Once upon a time, when Flora and Fred 
went to visit Grandma and Grandpa, 
they said, 

“Grandma Gray, Grandma Gray, 

We should work as well as play.” 

Grandma looked at the children over 
her spectacles and Grandpa smoked his 
pipe a while in silence. Then he said, 


55 


56 


Fairy Forget-Me-Not 


“I’ll take Fred in the field with me 
And see what a helper he will be.” 

Grandma said, 

“Flora can feed the fowls, you see, 
What a willing helper she will be.” 

Next day Grandma Gray had a surprise 
for Flora. When Flora was ready to feed 
the ducks and geese and chickens, Grand¬ 
ma Gray said, 

“Flora, dear, you are happy and good; 

I will call you my little Red-Riding- 
Hood.” 

So saying, Grandma Gray put on Flora 
a new, little red cape, and she did, indeed, 
look like a little Red-Riding-Hood. 

She said, “Oh Grandma, may I take the 
food to the ducks and geese and chickens 
in a basket instead of a pan?” 


Fairy Forget-Me-Not 57 

Grandma Gray said, 

“Yes, I hope you’ll not meet the wolf; 

If it rains, your coat is waterproof.” 

Flora ran out and fed the ducks and 
chickens in the barnyard. 

Suddenly, without a bit of warning, she 
felt a tugging at her coat and a cry of 
“Honk! honk!” Seven hungry geese were 
pulling her this way and that way. 

Flora was so afraid she cried, “Help! 
Help!” 

Now Fred in the field remembered that 
Mother had said before they left home to 
look after Flora a little, and just at this 
very moment Fairy Forget-Me-Not whis¬ 
pered to him, 

“Flora is such a little tot, 

Where is she?” asked Fairy-For- 
get-Me-Not. 


58 


Fairy Forget-Me-Not 


Fred came running just in time to 
frighten the geese away and he said, as 
he put his arm around Flora, 

“You were frightened, I do not wonder; 

What you needed was a gander.” 

Flora said it was so good to feel Fred’s 
strong arm around her, she would not 
cry any more and she was glad anyway 
she had not met the wolf. 

At dinner that day Grandpa said, 

“Have you had adventures two, or eleven? 

Have you met the ‘naughty seven?” 

“Who are the ‘naughty seven?’ ” asked 
the children excitedly. Grandpa Gray 
said, 

“I call them Reginald and Silver White, 

Gold Bill, Honker in the Night. 


Fairy Forget-Me-Not 


59 


I call them White-Wing, and old Web¬ 
bed Feet; 

Sir Trumpeter also we will meet.” 

Fred laughed and said, “I do believe 
Grandpa Gray has named every one of 
his geese.” 

Flora looked out the window and cried, 
“Hear that Honk! Honk! Honk!” 

Grandpa Gray said, “The wild geese 
are flying. Spring is coming. Spring is 
coming!” 

They all went out doors and, sure 
enough, the wild geese were flying over¬ 
head in a V-shaped group. 

Down, down, they came into the field 
to feed. They fed beside the farm geese, 
who did not seem at all surprised. 

“Quick, quick,” said Grandpa Gray, 
“get the gun, get the gun.” 


60 


Fairy Forget-Me-Not 


Grandpa Gray wan a good shot, and he 
shot three wild geese for dinner. 

The children had the fun of picking 
geese for the first time in their lives and 
Grandma Gray said, “We will roast the 
geese, and I will save you each a goose 
feather to use as a pen, and some goose 
grease to take home and rub on your 
chest when you have a cold.” 

Grandpa Gray said, “One of these is a 
Canadian goose. It is thirty-five inches 
long and the largest wild goose in this 
country.” 

He said, “It is easy to tame a goose.” 

“A wild goose likes corn and wheat, 
And almost any grain will eat.” 

Grandma said, “That surely is a Can¬ 
ada goose, because it is so large and has 
such a long neck.” 


Fairy Forget-Me-Not 


61 


The goose cries “Honk! Honk!” It can¬ 
not sing; 

It travels north in the early spring. 

Fred said, “I once saw a white-cheeked 
goose called a ‘Black Brant.’ It is a very 
black goose but wears a white collar 
round its neck.” 

Grandma said, “I think the most beau¬ 
tiful goose we have is the ‘White-Fronted 
Goose.’ Its white frill is below its bill. Its 
feathers have a white edge and are beau¬ 
tifully shaded.” 

Grandpa said, “I like the ‘Snow-Goose’ 
best, pure white all over, except its wing 
feathers. All geese like water, of course/ 

The wild geese flew away—away—a- 
way. 

That night Flora dreamed that Moth¬ 
er-Goose came sailing in her window on 


62 


Fairy Forget-Me-Not 


a gander, and took her for a ride on the 
goose that laid the golden egg. 

Flora and Fred loved to visit the farm 
and when they went home they had seven 
round packages neatly wrapped, which 
they carried in a basket. 

They called, 

‘‘Good-bye, dear Grandma and Grandpa 
Gray, 

Good-bye, we are sorrry to go away.” 

When they got home they told Father 
and Mother they had seven goose eggs 
in their basket. 

“How could I make any one give me a 
bottle of milk? 

“Little Boy Blue wore a blue coat and 
cap and blue shoes. He was so gentle 
I wished I could jump up into the baby 
carriage and lie down beside him. 



APPCO .INC./N. V 



















I 






Fairy Forget-Me-Not 


63 


“By and by Flora and Fred met the Cal¬ 
ico Girl and Willie Why who said, ‘Come 
on and look at the animals in the Park. 
Leave Little Brownie to look after Little 
Boy Blue.’ 

“Willie Why said, ‘Why does he need 
any one to look after him?’ 

“Fred called, 

‘Come on, come on and have a laugh, 

Come on and see the big giraffe.’ 

“Then the most exciting thing hap¬ 
pened. 

“A man came and offered to take the 
children for a ride on a fine, fat pony. 

“Flora and Fred and the other children 
had to ride, of course. 


64 


Fairy Forget-Me-Not 


“Here was my chance. 

“I jumped up beside Little Boy Blue 
and hoped he would go right to sleep and 
let me borrow his milk bottle. I could not 
sing to save my life but I tried to talk to 
him. 

“I said, 

‘My coat is soft and fine as silk; 

Will you give me a little milk? 

In the carriage, side by side, 

We will take a little ride; 

You are a year old, it is true, 

But I am just a baby too; 

May I take a little drink? 

Little Boy Blue, what do you think?’ 

“Now I could not understand what Lit¬ 
tle Boy Blue said any better than he could 
understand me, so I reached over and 
took the bottle from him and took one 


Fairy Forget-Me-Not 


65 


long drink of nice, warm milk. Then 
things began to happen. 

“The baby carriage began to walk; 

The baby carriage began to talk. 

It was on a moving side-walk, see; 

It was just as funny as could be. 

“Away, away, away we went on the 
moving side-walk; Little Boy Blue and 
the Baby Carriage and I. 

“Then Little Boy Blue began to cry. 

“My! How that baby did cry. 

“People crowded round us, a very great 
many, 

People offered that baby a penny; 

They offered him peanuts and candy 
sweet, 

They gave him a rosy red apple to eat. 

It makes me sigh, oh me, oh my, 

To think how Little Boy Blue would cry. 


66 


Fairy Forget-Me-Not 


They crowded round one and another, 
And said, ‘The baby wants his mother.’ 

“I hid the bottle of milk under the lit¬ 
tle pink and white afghan as well as I 
could, for I wanted the take another drink 
if the crowd would only go away. 

“Little Boy Blue cried harder and I 
licked his little hands and tried to make 
him understand that I was his friend and 
meant no harm. 

“I don’t know what in the world would 
have become of us if Fairy Forget-Me- 
Not had not seen us and gone on Fairy 
wings to whisper to Flora and Fred, 

“Don’t stay more than a minute or two 

Away from the baby, Little Boy Blue.” 

“I was not used to moving side-walks 
or crowds or a crying baby, so I was hap¬ 
py when I saw Flora and Fred coming 


Fairy Forget-Me-Not 67 

and heard Fred cry, ‘Wanted a dog catch¬ 
er.’ 

“He took me in his arms and Flora took 
the baby in her arms and we soon got off 
the moving side-walk. 

“By and by the children put us both 
back into the carriage and it began to 
roll itself like a magic baby carriage and 
sang, 


‘Roll along to music sweet, 

Up the street, up the street; 

Give a guess whom we will meet, 
Rolling, rolling up the street.’ 

“Now close your eyes and give forty- 
nine guesses as to whom we should meet. 

“Riding up and riding down, 
Whom should we meet but the Cir¬ 
cus Clown. 


68 


Fairy Forget-Me-Not 


He made the children laugh, of 
course, 

For he rode a wooden Rocking 
Horse. 

“When they grow up,” Flora said, “I 
will name one Reginald and one Snow 
White.” 

“Don’t forget Gold-Bill and Honker,” 
said Fred, “and White-Wing and old 
Webbed-Foot and Trumpeter.” 

Flora said, “I am glad you rescued me 
from the geese. Really, Fred, I do not 
know what I would do without you.” 

The children had great success with 
their goose eggs. They raised them in¬ 
doors in an incubator, and by and by sev¬ 
en tame geese followed them all over the 
yard. 

Fred and Flora wrote a letter to Grand¬ 
ma and Granmpa and said, “We hope you 


Fairy Forget-Me-Not 


69 


will come to the city to visit us and see 
in our back yard Reginald and Snow- 
White, Gold-Bill, Honker, White-Wing, 
Old Webbed-Foot and Trumpeter, for we 
have named every one of the geese after 
yours.” 

Flora added, “When I go to school all 
the children call me “Little Red-Riding- 
Hood.” 

Fred added, “The boys call me ‘Boy- 
Blue’ because I wear a blue suit and cap. 

The children waited anxiously for a re¬ 
ply to their letter and were sorry when, 
by and by, Grandpa wrote that they could 
not come until next Thanksgiving. 

The seven geese grew every day and 
became such pets that Flora and Fred 
said,“We cannot bear to think of eating 
these nets.” 


70 


Fairy Forget-Me-Not 


Mother said, “ You will soon have to 
clip their wings or they will fly away.” 

Father said, 

“Two dollars a-piece, two dollars a-piece, 
Here is some money for nice fat geese.” 

Father counted out fourteen shining 
silver dollars. 

♦ 

That was seven dollars a-piece for 
Flora and Fred. 

I wonder if they sold the geese to Fath¬ 
er. I forgot to ask them. 


Chapter Five 


LITTLE BROWNIE AND 
LITTLE BOY BLUE 


















CHAPTER 5. 


LITTLE BROWNIE AND LITTLE BOY 

BLUE 

Little Brownie came to live with Flora 
and Fred long ago when dogs could talk 
and tell their own story. 

He said one day, “I hope you will call 
me Brownie for I am a cousin of the Fairy 
by that name. I do wish you would hurry 
up and learn dog language.” 

Flora said, “See how the new dog wags 
his tail. Let us call him ‘Wags/ ” 

Fred said, “Let us call him ‘Little Bow- 
Wow’ because he barks so much.” 

“I did not know how to make the chil¬ 
dren understand that I wanted to be 
called Brownie unless I acted like a Little 


73 


74 


Fairy Forget-Me-Not 


Brownie, so one night I slept in the coal 
cellar, and next morning ran across the 
breakfast table and left the print of my 
little feet on the table cloth, like my cous¬ 
in, the Brownie, did years and years ago. 

“Just imagine my delight when I heard 
Flora cry, ‘Come, Fred, and see the print 
of little feet. Our dog, Little Brownie, 
must have been here.’ 

“From that day they called me ‘Little 
Brownie.’ 


“I am not going to tell you how I made 
friends with Brother Bow-Wow, for I 
have a much more interesting story to 
tell. 

“My story has to do with a milk bottle 
and a milk bottle baby called ‘Little Boy 
Blue.’ 


Fairy Forget-Me-Not 


75 


“One day Flora and Fred went to visit 
the Calico Girl and she was not at home, 
but her baby brother, Little Boy Blue, 
was home and the Calico Girl’s mother 
said, ‘I was just hoping some one would 
come along and take little Boy Blue out 
for a ride.’ 

“ ‘We are very glad to hear what you’ve 
said,’ 

Replied dear little, queer little Flora 
and Fred. 

“They said they would take Little Boy 
Blue out for a ride and maybe they would 
meet the Calico Girl. 

“Of course I was at their heels. 

“The Calico Girl’s mother said, 

‘Be careful of my baby sweet; 

Look before you cross the street.’ 


76 


Fairy Forget-Me-Not 


“She gave the baby a bottle of nice, 
warm milk and Flora and Fred wheeled 
Little Boy Blue along to the park. 

“My! How I did want that bottle of nice, 
warm milk! How could I make the chil¬ 
dren understand that bones and meat 
and gravy were all very well for a grown¬ 
up dog but that I was only a baby myself? 

He said, ‘The Grand Show will com¬ 
mence 

Very soon for only ten cents; 

So save your pennies, save a dime, 

To the circus come for a good time.’ 

Oh Circus Clown, in funny gown, 

We all are glad you came to town; 

We’ll follow you everywhere up and 
down, 

Oh very merry Circus Clown! 

“We followed that Circus Clown up 
and down the streets and we were all late 


Fairy Forget-Me-Not 


77 


for supper, and the Calico Girl’s mother 
was out at the gate looking for Little Boy 
Blue. 

“We all were excited about the circus, 
of course, but I was still wondering how 
I could get that bottle of milk. 

“The Calico Girl took Little Boy Blue 
in her arms and went into the house and 
Fred and Flora went home singing, 

‘We’ve a smile to chase away any frown; 

Hurrah! Hurrah! for the Circus Clown.’ 

“Now, I thought, is my chance. 

“I got hold of the baby’s bottle and was 
taking a long drink when Willie Why 
came by and said, ‘Oh, you funny dog. 
You must not drink out of the baby’s bot¬ 
tle.’ 


78 Fairy Forget-Me-Not 

“That spoiled my drink, of course. 


“That night I decided to write a letter 
to Flora and Fred. It took me a long time 
to write the letter, but, by and by, I had 
it finished. 

“I wrote: 

‘Dear Flora and Fred:— 

I am just a big baby dog, that is all, and 
I do love milk. Twice today I tried to 
drink from the baby’s bottle. 

Won’t you please give me a saucer of 
milk every morning? 

With love, 

Your faithful friend, 

Little Brownie.’ 

“Imagine my surprise and delight next 
day to find a saucer of milk in the kitch- 




























Fairy Forget-Me-Not 


79 


en, and Little Boy Blue came in and 
clapped his hands and said, 

‘Little Brownie, you are a baby too, 

Says dear little, queer Little Boy Blue.’ 

“I went up to Little Boy Blue and licked 
his face and he laughed so I know I will 
always love him. 

“I will try to ride in his carriage again 
and I hope I can have a taste of his bot¬ 
tle of milk. 

“I thought I heard the baby carriage 
say, 

‘How do you do? How do you do? 

Little Brownie, and Little Boy Blue.’ ” 



Chapter Six 


THE COMICAL CIRCUS 

CLOWN 
















CHAPTER 6. 

THE COMICAL CIRCUS CLOWN 

Flora and Fred woke up one morning 
and said, “It was jolly fun to follow that 
Circus Clown. How we wish we could 
really and truly shake hands with a Cir¬ 
cus Clown and get to know him.” 

Surprising things sometimes happen 
in Platteville. 

At that very minute a merry voice 
cried out, 

“Fred and Flora, please come down 
And open the door for the Circus 
Clown.” 

•The children looked down and saw the 
same jolly clown they had followed about 
the streets. 


83 


84 


Fairy Forget-Me-Not 


They ran down stairs as fast as their 
little legs would carry them and begged 
the clown to come in. 

Flora explained that father and moth¬ 
er were away for a few days, but she was 
excited at the idea of getting breakfast 
for a clown. She whispered to Fred, 
“What if he should do some of his tricks 
at the table? What if he should take 
something alive out of his napkin?” 

While the children were in the kitchen, 
the clown was up to some tricks, of course. 

The children came into the room. 

“Oh!” and “Ah!” they cried in one 
breath. 

The clown had put their napkins in 
their tumblers and they were shaped like 
rabbits with long ears. As for the clown 
himself, he was standing on his head. 


Fairy Forget-Me-Not 


85 


He remarked, 

“To practice tricks is rather wise; 

I call this healthy exercise.” 

That was a meal never to be forgotten. 

The comical clown took flowers from 
his coat sleeve, and kept three balls go¬ 
ing in the air at one time. He gave good 
advice, too, now and then, in little rhymes. 
He said, 

“Never mind just how you feel; 

Keep a cheerful face at every meal.” 

The comical clown passed a plate so it 
continued to go round and round and 
sailed away in the air. He said, 

“I am in an awful fix, 

I can’t remember half my tricks.” 

“Dear me,” said Fred, “we will have to 
buy you a memory.” 


86 


Fairy Forget-Me-Not 


The comical clown replied, looking 
quite sad, 

“I practice fast, I practice slow, 

I have to do my tricks just so; 

Into the ring I have to go, 

I practice fast, I practice slow. 

I like to sing a nonsense song, 

With verses ninety-nine, and long; 
To the Big Circus I belong, 

I like to sing nonsense songs.” 

By this time the children thought they 
must really be dreaming, but the Clown 
continued, 

“If you would be a Circus Clown, 

Just say your verses up-side-down; 
You’ll have to wear a striped gown, 
If you would be a Circus Clown.” 

Bennie Behind-Hand and Willie Why 
peeped in the window, while Johnny- 


Fairy Forget-Me-Not 


87 


Jump-Up, and the Calico Girl clapped 
their hands and begged to come in. 

A very surprising thing happened. 

The clown said, 

“With never a word of good-bye I go 

To paint some signs for the show.” 

He just disappeared and no one could 
see how, or where, he went. 

“Stop him, stop him,” cried Flora and 
Fred in one voice, but the Comical Clown 
was gone. 

For many days the children read the 
signs of the coming circus—“Biggest 
Show On Earth”—“Greatest Exhibit of 
Live Animals”—“Magic Balloon”—“For¬ 
tunes Told”—“Only a Dime, Ten Cents.” 

Every day drew nearer and nearer Cir¬ 
cus Day. 



88 


Fairy Forget-Me-Not 


“Ho for a dime and ho for a penny, 

I’ll save some money,” said little Ben¬ 
nie. 

“To save some money I will try,” 

Said dear little, queer little Willie 
Why. 

Johnny-Jump-Up, always in motion, 
Said, “I think it a splendid notion.” 

On to school went Flora and Fred, 
And heard not a single word that was 
said. 

Of course Little Bennie Behind-Hand 
did not save in time for Circus Day, and 
Willie Why and Johnny-Jump-Up and 
the neighbor children did not save either. 

On Circus Day Flora and Fred woke up 
early. 


Fairy Forget-Me-Not 


89 


Flora said, 

“We can’t go to the Circus, I’m afraid, 

But we can all see the Big Parade.” 

Fred said, 

“Away to the Circus, I’d like to go, 
And I wish we had money for the 
Grand Show.” 

At this very minute, suddenly, without 
any warning whatever, in through the 
open window floated a red balloon, and in 
floated a blue balloon. On each balloon 
was written, 

“Inside each balloon is ten cents, 

It is time for the big show to com¬ 
mence.” 

“Oh, Oh, Oh!” cried the children. “We 
cannot open the beautiful balloons to find 
the money.” 


90 Fairy Forget-Me-Not 


The balloons sailed about the room and 
said, 

“We have seen some things funny; 
Children sometimes earn pin money.” 

“Pin money?” said the children, “what 
do you mean by pin money?” 

At this very minute Mother called, 

“I will give a penny for every pin, 
Hurry up or the circus will begin.” 

Mother really wanted all the pins 
picked up from the work basket she had 
overturned, and there were exactly twen¬ 
ty pins, so Flora and Fred each had 
earned a dime and sailed into the tent 
carrying their balloons proudly with 
them. 

My, what a fine circus it was. 

How proudly the horses pranced and 
the animals did their tricks, and by and 


Fairy Forget-Me-Not 


91 


by, the Comical Circus Clown came out 
and jumped through a hoop and rode on 
a Rocking Horse. 

The most delightful surprise was yet to 
come. 

The Comical Circus Clown suddenly 
saw a red balloon and a blue balloon; then 
he saw Flora and Fred and he called the 
children right into the ring and told of 
the wonderful breakfast they had to¬ 
gether. The people thought it was a joke, 
but every once in a while he would turn 
to Flora and say, “Now, wasn’t that so?” 
As Flora was too excited to answer her 
balloon said, 

“If you’d been there, you would know 

Every word is exactly so.” 

Then the Comical Circus Clown would 
turn to Fred and say, “Now wasn’t that 
so?” 


92 


Fairy Forget-Me-Not 


Before Fred could get his breath to re¬ 
ply, his balloon fairly shouted, 

“If you had been there some hours ago, 

You would know ’twas exactly so.” 

Now Donald Dunce, and Bennie Be- 
hind-Hand, and Willie Why, and John¬ 
ny Jump-Up had not earned any dimes or 
pennies, but at this very minute they 
were peeping in through a hole in the 
tent, and Willie Why was lying down 
with his head inside the tent. 

The Comical Circus Clown said, 

“Thro’ the hoop Fred and Flora may go, 

But before the trick please bow low.” 

Willie Why, who was forever asking 
questions, said, “Why will you put them 
through the hoop?” The audience laughed 
and the Comical Circus Clown came out 
and let the children come inside the tent. 


Fairy Forget-Me-Not 93 

Donald Dunce wished he had washed 
his face, and Bennie Behind-Hand wished 
he had brushed his hair, and Johnny- 
Jump-Up wished he had on a clean shirt 
and Willie Why said, “Why don’t you go 
on with your tricks?” 

The Comical Circus Clown said, 

“Come on, come on into the ring, 
Follow the leader, that is the thing; 

I count one, two, I count one, two, 
Follow me now whatever I do.” 

The children never had more fun in all 
their lives. They sang, and danced, and 
rode the Rocking Horse, and when the 
act was over they all stood in line and 
shook hands with the Comical Circus 
Clown. 

Fairy Forget-Me-Not whispered to 
Flora and Fred to thank the clown and 
they said, 


94 


Fairy Forget-Me-Not 


“Good-bye, we are going soon; 

Thank you for each gay balloon.” 

Then, nobody knew how it happened, 
but the Comical Circus Clown suddenly 
had 

Balloons to give, and Balloons to sell, 
How many I could never tell; 

Balloons of red, and blue, and white, 
Balloons to carry day and night, 

And every child in the big tent soon 
Went home proudly waving a balloon. 
Flora and Fred marched up and down 
Singing, “Hurrah for the Comical 
Clown.” 

For a long time afterward everything 
in Platteville dated from the visit of the 
Comical Circus Clown. Whatever it was 
they talked about happened before the 
coming of the Comical Circus Clown, 
or after the coming of the Comical Circus 



v ONLY I 

ENTRANCE 


,pp co. 















Fairy Forget-Me-Not 


95 


Clown, or about the time the Comical Cir¬ 
cus Clown came. 

All the little boys tried to stand on their 
heads, and the little girls sang nonsense 
songs, and all the children were happy, 
for 

A Circus Clown is a jolly fellow, 
Dressed in gown of red and yellow. 
He rides around and around the ring, 
And makes us laugh at everything. 

Fred said, “I wish we had asked the 
Clown how he happened to drop in to 
breakfast.” 

Flora said, 

If we asked how he happened along, 
He would only answer in nonsense 
song.” 

I think Flora was right as could be, 
For the Clown never answered the 
question for me. 





Chapter Seven 

THE SWIMMING POOL 




CHAPTER 7. 

THE SWIMMING POOL 

Once upon a time Grandpa Gray wrote 
a letter to Fred’s father and said, 

“I want four helpers among the boys; 

I will not mind their whistle and noise; 

When they come out I will explain; 

Please send them by the fastest train.” 

Fred cried, “May I go? May I go? May 
I go and tell Donald Dunce, and Johnny- 
Jump-Up and Willie Why they are invit¬ 
ed?” 

Father said, 

“The journey is just as good as done, 
But have a little patience, son.” 

Father took out an envelope from the 
letter, and out of the envelope came a 
crisp one dollar bill. 

99 


> © 
1 9 > 


100 


Fairy Forget-Me-Not 


“For our tickets,” cried Fred in great 
excitement. “It costs twenty-five cents 
to get to the Ipswich Farm.” 

Fred ran out to tell the boys the joyful 
news and Flora sat down in the doleful 
dumps. 

Now Flora did not often get the doleful 
dumps, but it was hard not to be invited. 

Mother said, 

“You are disappointed, I’m afraid, 

But we can plan some fine charades; 
We will dress up just for fun 
And give a play when day is done.” 

“What are charades?” asked Flora, but 
mother was too busy to tell her at that 
time. 

Back into the house bounded Fred with 
the other boys at his heels and they had 


Fairy Forget-Me-Not 


101 


just time to run for the train, Fred proud¬ 
ly waving the crisp dollar bill as he ran. 

My, what a jolly ride they had to the 
farm on the train. 

My, how pleased they were to see 
Grandpa Gray with his two black horses 
and hay wagon at the station. He had 
a small load of hay on the wagon and 
said, 

“Jump on the hay and do not fall; 

Jump on the hay, hold on, that’s all.” 

The boys cried, 

“Hurrah! Hurrah! We hear what you 
say, 

Hurrah! Hurrah for a ride on the hay.” 

They said, “Grandpa Gray pretended 
he was deaf when he didn’t want to hear, 
so he said, 


102 


Fairy Forget-Me-Not 


“Can you whistle and sing- a song? 

Did you bring your fishing poles 
along?” 

Fred said, “Can we feed the horses foi 
you, Grandpa?” 

Grandpa Gray said, 

“Can you swim in the pool, I say? 
Did you bring bathing suits today?” 

Donald Dunce said, 

“I can bring in wood and water, too; 
What other chores will you have us 
do?” 

Grandpa Gray said, 

“In the merry days of fall, 

We may play a game of ball.” 

Willie Why shouted, 

“Why don’t you tell us what to do, 
Now we have come to visit you?” 


Fairy Forget-Me-Not 


103 


Grandpa Gray said, 

“I wonder if the wind is right 
To fly a very bonnie kite?” 

Johnny-Jump-Up could stand it no 
longer. He got up and shouted in Grand¬ 
pa Gray’s good ear, 

“We are willing helpers every one, 

We will work ’till set of sun; 

What tasks have you ready please? 
Grandpa Gray, oh do not tease.” 

Grandpa Gray said, 

“Come on, let’s sing a useful song, 

For singing helps the work along.” 

He taught them a song which they sang 
to the tune of “Yankee Doodle.” 

Verse: 

“Right hand here and left hand there, 
I’ll tell you what we’ll do, Sir; 

Right foot here and right foot there, 
We’re learning something new, Sir. 


104 


Fairy Forget-Me-Not 


/ 


Chorus: 

“Clap the hands together so, 

Right and left in greeting; 

Stamp the right and left foot so, 
When a friend we’re meeting.” 

Grandpa Gray said, “Most of my hired 
help cannot tell their left hand from their 
right hand, and little things like these 
come in mighty handy, lads. If you should 
forget which side your left hand and foot 
are on, there is a time-piece on your left 
side that beats. 

You have a heart that beats tick, tock, 

Very like the Family-Clock.” 

The boys put their heads down to listen 
to their beat and said, 


“Now you know we understand 
How to find our own left hands.” 


Fairy Forget-Me-Not 


105 


Grandpa Gray said, 

“Notice how many birds you see 
On the fence-posts and in the tree.” 

The boys heard Bob-White call and saw 
the Martin and heard the Song Sparrow 
and Wild Canary. 

Grandpa Gray said, “I wish I could tell 
you a story of the road; how interesting 
it would be. Think of the horses and cars 
that go over the road all the year, and 
think of the people who go on the road.” 

“Where are they going, and why are 
they going?” asked Willie Why. 

Donald Dunce began to draw a picture 
of a long road that wound in and out 
among the trees, and he drew the hay- 
wagon with the boys on it and said, “Pic¬ 
tures tell some stories to me as well as 
words.” 


106 


Fairy Forget-Me-Not 


When they got to the farm it was sup¬ 
per time, and Grandma Gray had a fine 
supper ready and they told stories and 
roasted chestnuts ’till bed time. 

The boys went to bed without having 
learned what they had come to the farm 
for, but decided whoever woke up first 
should call the rest. 

At exactly four o’clock in the morning, 
not one minute before and not one min¬ 
ute after, Johnny-Jump-Up woke and 
called, 

“Four o’clock, night is done, 

Wake up, wake up every one.” 

The boys got up and dressed and, sure 
enough, they were the first ones awake 
in the house. 

Willie Why said, 

“Why can’t we go to the swimming pool? 

Why can’t we bathe in the water cool?” 


Fairy Forget-Me-Not 


107 


To the surprise of all, the Family-Clock 
spoke, instead of ticking, and said, 

“Ask the wood-box on the floor, 
He’s answered questions once be¬ 
fore.” 

The boys took the hint and ran out to 
the wood-shed and, in less time than it 
takes to tell it, the wood-box was full. 

Donald Dunce cried, 

“Hurrah, Hurrah! There is no school. 

I’m off and away to the swimming 
pool..” 

A voice called, 

“Who’ll fill water-pails in a row? 
Who’ll get the water I’d like to 
know? 

The boys laughed and brought in wa¬ 
ter and by that time the hired man was 


108 


Fairy Forget-Me-Not 


up and let them help feed and water the 
cows, and every once in a while a voice, 
that must have belonged to Fairy Forget- 
Me-Not, would remind them to do some 
little task by singing a nonsense rhyme. 

She sang now, 

“If I had a pair of little legs, 

I’d go and gather all the eggs.” 

To the barn they went and it was fun 
to find the eggs. They surprised the hen 
who had stolen her nest, and Fairy For¬ 
get-Me-Not called, 

“You can help Grandpa, yes, indeed, 

If all the barnyard fowls you feed.” 

So, all day long the boys had a good 
time and did useful things, and they said, 

“By to-morrow we will feel so old, 
We’ll do some things without being 
told; 


Fairy Forget-Me-Not 


109 


If we forget, please do not scold; 

We’ll do some things without being 
told.” 

In the evening Grandpa Gray said, 

“I don’t like water, as a rule, 

But come on to the Swimming 
Pool.” 

The farm dog, Little Brown Brother, 
was at their heels. 

Grandpa Gray said, “Bless your dear 
little hearts, you all forgot your swim¬ 
ming suits, but there will be no one about, 
and I will give you some big towels. Here 
is a white towel, and a white towel with a 
blue border, and a blue towel with a white 
border, and be sure to take a rope, so if 
anything gets wet you can hang it upon 
a line to dry.” 

Off went the merry crowd to the swim¬ 
ming-pool. 


110 


Fairy Forget-Me-Not 


Johnny-Jump-Up had jumped about so 
much all day he did not want to go into 
the water, but he helped hang up a line 
and hang up the boys’ shirts and stock¬ 
ings. Then he and Grandpa Gray sat on 
a log and watched the boys swim and dive 
off the rocks and have a glorious time. 

Grandpa Gray whispered something to 
Johnny-Jump-Up and soon he disap¬ 
peared too, and three little shirts disap¬ 
peared. 

Donald Dunce got out by and by and 
used his big towel and Fred did the same 
and suddenly cried, “Boys, our shirts 
have gone. Little Brown Brother must 
have taken them.” 

Willie Why said, “Why aren’t they on 
the line? Why don’t you help me out of 
the water? Why doesn’t Johnny-Jump- 
Up answer?” 







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Fairy Forget-Me-Not 111 

At this critical moment Fairy Forget- 
Me-Not said, 

“Which is right and which is left? 
Look back of the clump of trees; 
Which is right and which is left? 
Johnny-Jump-Up tried to tease.” 

There, safe and sound, back of the 
trees were the shirts, and the boys laugh¬ 
ed and cried, 

“Hurrah! Hurrah, ’twas an April Fool, 
Hurrah! Hurrah for the Swimming- 
Pool. 

We turn to the left, we turn to the right 
Let’s form a club of ‘Honor Bright.’ ” 

The boys ran toward the house with 
Little Brown Brother at their heels. 

Grandpa Gray said, 

“The night is come, the bright stars 
gleam, 

Tomorrow we’ll form a baseball team.” 


112 


Fairy Forget-Me-Not 


The boys all cried out with delight, 
“We’ll call ourselves ‘The Honor 
Bright.’ ” 

They went merrily to bed and Fairy 
Forget-Me-Not sang them all to sleep. 

“At evening when the air is cool, 

Let’s go down to the Swimming Pool; 
There the water-lilies float, 

Each a little Fairy-Boat. 

And tiny little fishes glide, 

In the water side by side; 

Come on, be happy as a rule, 

Hurrah! Hurrah for the Swimming 
Pool!” 


Chapter Eight 

' 


THE BASEBALL BOYS 



















CHAPTER 8. 

THE BASEBALL BOYS 


One evening- Grandpa Gray said, 

“To tell a story I believe it’s time; 
Shall I tell it in prose or in rhyme?” 

The boys said, “Tell it any way you feel 
like, Grandpa, only let it be about base¬ 
ball, please.” 

Grandpa Gray said, 

“Well, now I begin, 

There once was a pin 
Who nothing would say 
But, Tick me up all day.’ 

It said, ‘A pin is useful quite, 
Useful morning, noon and night. 


115 


116 


Fairy Forget-Me-Not 


It said to Fred on going to bed, 
‘Don’t pick up anything else in¬ 
stead; 

If the game of ball you’d win, 
Remember the Pin! Remember 
the Pin.’ 

“The Honor Bright Boys challenged 
the Green Horns to a game of ball and 

They went out to win, 

But oh for a pin!” 

Here Grandpa paused so long in the 
telling of his story that the boys were 
afraid he had fallen asleep and Willie 
Why said, “Why did the pin have any¬ 
thing to do with the ball game?” 

Grandpa said, 

“A word to the wise is quite enough; 

Those Green Horn Boys are rather 
tough.” 


Fairy Forget-Me-Not 


117 


He said there was a bat in the attic that 
had been there for ninety-nine years and 
if they looked enough they might find 
some caps. So off the boys went in a hurry, 
up, up, up to the old garret, and sure 
enough, they found the bat and the red 
and white caps, and they felt like a full- 
fledged ball team already. 

What fun they had practicing the 
game and never once did they think of 
Grandpa’s advice about picking up pins, 
though 

Pins were often on the floor, 

On the staircase plenty more. 

The great day came when the Honor 
Bright Boys were to play the Green Horn 
Boys, and they chose Fred for captain, so 
he wore a red shirt with a star on the 
front, and he wore a great smile, too. 


118 


Fairy Forget-Me-Not 


Johnny-Jump-Up was pitcher, and 
Donald Dunce was catcher, and all went 
well until they came to a barb-wire fence. 

Alas! They came to the barb-wire fence, 
Just as the ball-game was to commence. 

Donald Dunce caught his pants and 
tore a hole in the seat. Willie Why took 
a mirror out of his pocket and showed 
Donald Dunce just how he looked, and 
Willie Why took a mirror out of his pock¬ 
et and showed Donald Dunce just how he 
looked, and Willie Why said, “Why are 
you the one always to get into trouble?” 

Donald Dunce said, 

“We want to win, but oh for a pin; 

It’s almost time for the game to be- 

• 9 ) 

gin. 

Indeed, the Green Horn Boys were al¬ 
ready on the ball grounds. What could 
Donald Dunce do? 



















* 



















. 

































































































♦ 












































Fairy Forget-Me-Not 


119 


Fairy Forget-Me-Not had whispered 
to Grandpa Gray that he ought to come 
out and enjoy the fun. 

lere he came, just when he was most 
needed, and as luck would have it, he 
found a pin in the lapel of his coat. 

He pinned up the pants for Donald 
Dunce and it was such a glorious game 
that Donald Dunce did not care if he did 
get a black eye, and as the Honor Bright 
Boys won the game, they were happy as 
happy could be. 

They said it was funny a game to win, 
Just on account of a little pin. 

For many days after that, the Honor 
Bright Boys practiced base-ball and tried 
to make Home Runs, and talked in a con¬ 
fident way about innings, and scores, and 
match games, and the famous nines of 
great colleges. 


120 


Fairy Forget-Me-Not 


They studied base-ball reports and 
soon felt they were a match for any boys’ 
team in the country. 

Fred found an old paper in the garret 
that said the shirt he wore had belonged 
to one of “The Lone Star” players long 
ago; and there was an account of their 
beating “The Young Americas.” 

The boys challenged the Green Horn 
Players again with high hopes this time 
of winning even a better game. 

Will you believe it? At the very start 
Donald Dunce fell and got a black eye, 
and he tore his suit on the barb-wire 
fence in so many places he was ashamed 
of it and kept wishing for a pin, instead 
of thinking of the game, and that day 
everything went wrong for the Honor 
Brights and the Green Horns won the 
game, seven to nothing. 


Fairy Forget-Me-Not 


121 


The Honor Brights sat down on the 
floor beside Grandpa Gray that evening 
and he solemnly shook hands with every 
one of them. He said, 

“We all have failures now and then 
You take defeat like gentlemen; 

I’m glad to know you, I declare; 

The Honor Brights all play fair.” 

Suddenly, without a word of warning, 
Fredjumped up and began to look on the 
floor. Johnny Jump-Up and Donald 
Dunce did the same and Willie Why said, 

“Why didn’t we think of it before, 

To buy a paper of pins at the store? 
We’ll carry a paper of pins, you know. 
For accidents will happen so.” 

Grandma said as she looked kindly 
over her spectacles, 


122 


Fairy Forget-Me-Not 


“There is a pin cushion on the shelf; 

You may each go in and help your- 
self.” 

The boys put pins in their coat collars 
and in their belts and said, 

“Ha! Ha! the next game we will win; 

Hurrah for a pin, hurrah for a pin!” 

Did the Honor Brights play the Green 
Horns again? Well, I guess they did and 
it was an exciting game this time. Every¬ 
thing went right. 

Johnny-Jump-Up pitched a wonderful 
game and struck out every Green Horn 
who came to bat. Donald Dunce did good 
work catching the ball and all the Honor 
Brights made good plays. 

With many cheers the game continued 
and when Donald Dunce came up to bat, 
he actually made a home run. 


Fairy Forget-Me-Not 


123 


They played no tricks, but fair and right 
Was the game played by the Honor 

Brights. 

They won a glorious victory and the 
crowd of neighbors who came to see the 
game shouted themselves hoarse. 

Said Willie Why, ‘Who speaks of luck? 

Some games are really won by pluck.” 

The Green Horn Boys stood defeat 
well, too, even though they were beaten 
twice out of three times. They all came 
in a crowd to see the Honor Brights and 
to roast apples on the last evening of 
their stay in the country. 

Suddenly one of the Green Horn Boys 
took something out of his pocket and 
passed it from one to another. 

They all laughed, for it was a picture 
of the Honor Brights before their first 
game, and under the picture was written, 


124 


Fairy Forget-Me-Not 


“Don’t make fun of the teams that win 

But at this moment ‘Wanted a Pin.’ ” 

The Honor Brights were very merry 
and decided they were going to hike 
home the next day. They had grown so 
strong and sturdy with out-door exercise, 
they said a walk of eight miles would on¬ 
ly be fun. 

Said the boys, “ ’Tis jolly to work and 
play; 

We may have adventures on the way; 

But, whatever plight you find us in, 

We never will say ‘Wanted, a pin.’ ” 


Chapter Nine 

FRED’S FISHING DAY 






























CHAPTER 9. 

FRED’S FISHING DAY 

The road is even, the road is long, 
Let’s travel over the road with song. 

The Honor Bright Boys left the farm, 
saying, “Good-bye, Grandma and Grand¬ 
pa Gray.” 

Grandma and Grandpa said, 

“Good-bye, be sure to do what’s right, 
Good-bye, Boys of the Honor Bright.” 

All went well until they came to a cross¬ 
road. Then Donald Dunce and Johnny- 
Jump-Up said the shortest way would be 
to turn to the left, and Willie Why said, 
“Why do we separate? Why don’t we all 
travel together?” 


127 


128 


Fairy Forget-Me-Not 


They were looking- for an adventure 
and then a surprising thing happened. 

A gipsy caravan overtook them. 

Where it had come from they couldn’t 
tell, but a gipsy driver said, 

“We’ll be in Platteville in an hour or so; 

Would you like a lift, or where do you 
go?” 

The boys were delighted to climb up in¬ 
to the gipsy wagon, of course, and sit be¬ 
side a real gipsy Fortune-Teller. 

It was almost as thrilling as getting 
breakfast for a clown. 

Donald Dunce said in a loud whisper, 

“We have a few dimes, but not very many; 

Would she tell a fortune for a penny?” 

The gipsy Fortune-Teller laughed until 
her ear-rings jingled and said, 


Fairy Forget-Me-Not 129 

“With silver you must cross your hand, 

If a fortune you’d understand.” 

Of course, the boys were all wild to have 
their fortunes told at once, and, of course, 
they gave the gipsy Fortune-Teller all 
the dimes and quarters they had in their 
pockets. 

She told Fred that he would soon have 
a fight over a fair lady, and she told Don¬ 
ald Dunce and Willie Why they would 
soon act an important part in a play. 

She said, with a twinkle in her eyes, 

“If three of you boys make a gipsy wish, 

You’ll have some good luck catching 
fish.” 

The boys begged her to tell more, but 
she began to sing a gipsy song of the 
road. She sang, 


130 


Fairy Forget-Me-Not 


“Up and down the winding 1 road, 
Gipsy feet have often trod; 

But, Oh! what fun and merriment 
We have when we dance about our 
tent!” 

Willie Why said, “Will our fortunes 
really come true? Will we have good luck 
if we go fishing tomorrow?” 

The gipsy Fortune-Teller smiled and 
nodded and said, 

“The wind must be right to get a bite, 
And you must be quick of sight; 

And you must drop your line just right, 
If you want to get a bite.” 

“Why must we keep quiet?” asked Wil¬ 
lie Why. 

The gipsy Fortune-Teller said, 

“You ask questions morning, noon and 
night; 

Keep quiet or the fish won’t bite.” 


Fairy Forget-Me-Not 


131 


“But why won’t they bite unless we 
keep quiet?” insisted Willie Why. 

The gipsy Fortune-Teller said, 

“You have two ears, why, do you suppose 
Two bright eyes and only one mouth 
and nose?” 

Which really did not answer his question 
after all. 

The gipsies let the boys out when they 
got into Platteville and they went on the 
winding road by the sheep farm. 

The boys were so happy to get home, 
they tossed their caps in the air and 
shouted, 

“Hurrah! Hurrah! Home looks the same; 
Hurrah! Hurrah! We went and came.” 

Their friends crowded round them and 
only one disappointing thing happened. 


132 


Fairy Forget-Me-Not 


Flora did not seem as excited to see Fred 
as usual, for she had business of her own 
to attend to, and she would not even 
promise to go fishing with the boys to¬ 
morrow. 

Johnny-Jump-Up said not to wait for 
him, if he overslept, but Fred and Donald 
Dunce got their fishing lines in order. 
Willie Why said, “Why don’t you wait 
’till tomorrow to get your bait?” 

Early next day, Donald Dunce came 
running along barefooted, shouting, 

“I will be on time for once, 

Though my name is Donald 
Dunce.” 

He had his fishing pole and bucket of 
bait. 

They did not start at six o’clock, nor at 
seven o’clock, nor even at eight, and Wil¬ 
lie Why said, “Why don’t we start?” 


Fairy Forget-Me-Not 


133 


They were delayed, now since you ask it, 
Because they were looking - for a basket. 

By and by a basket was found for the 
fish and the boys started off merrily, sing¬ 
ing - , 

“We are late, we don’t care a mite; 

Wanted a bite, wanted a bite!” 

Fred said, “We must bait our hooks and 
climb up on the fence, and sit very still so 
the fish will not be scared away, and the 
Fortune-Teller said we would have good 
luck, so we hope soon to go home with a 
big basket full of fish.” 

By and by Donald Dunce grew sleepy 
and 

His fishing pail crept down, down; 

He was off and away to Sleepy-Town. 


134 


Fairy Forget-Me-Not 


Willie Why rubbed his eyes and 

He said, “Why do we wait?” and began to 
frown; 

He was off and away to Sleepy-Town. 

Fred felt a bite and to his amazement 
drew up a cute little fairy, who said, 

“I will fill your basket in a minute; 
How many fish do you want in it?” 

My! The basket was filled as if by mag¬ 
ic, and the fairy said, 

“I am a Little Old Man of the Sea; 

You may now make wishes three.” 

Fred thought a long time what to wish 
for; then he said, “I wish Flora was here 
this very minute.” 

He felt two hands cover his eyes and a 
merry voice say 



3-r— WANTED. A BITE 







































■ 

. 














Fairy Forget-Me-Not 


135 


“You can guess, if you are wise, 
Whose hands cover up your eyes.” 

Fred cried, “It is my own dear Flora. 
My! How I wish I had a cookie. I am so 
hungry.” 

Flora put a cookie right into his mouth, 
for she had a basket of them on her arm. 

a 

Then, forgetting the Fairy, Fred said, 
“I wish every one of us had a bite this 
minute.” ■ 

Each of the children felt their lines pull 
and Donald Dunce and Willie Why woke 
up and Fred declared he had not been 
dreaming at all, but the Fairy was no¬ 
where to be seen. 

From that time on they caught fish and, 
when the day was over, had a basket full 
of fish and each boy went proudly into 
town with a string of fish down his back. 


136 


Fairy Forget-Me-Not 


They whistled and sang to the tune of 
“Lightly Row,” 

“Fishing’s fun, fishing’s fun, 

Now that the day’s work is done; 
Fishing’s fun, fishing’s fun, 

Fun in rain or sun. 

Fish away and do not sleep, 

Even though you quiet keep; 
Fishing’s fun, fishing’s fun, 

Fun for everyone.” 

Fred told about the Fairy and said, “I 
wonder if it could have been Fairy For¬ 
get-Me-Not, for Fairies can change their 
shape and size as often as they please.” 

Flora would not tell whether she had 
come to the fishing pond with cookies or 
not, for she was very busy planning some 
fine charades. 

They all enjoyed fish for supper and 
that evening there came a “rap-a-tap” at 


Fairy Forget-Me-Not 


137 


the door. There stood the gipsy Fortune- 
Teller saying, 

“Ha! Ha! young man, did you get your 
wish? 

Ha! Ha! young man, I smell fresh fish.” 

Fred had to invite the gipsy in and give 
her a plate of fish, of course. 

Mother said, after the gipsy had gone, 
it was not safe to ride with strangers and 
not safe to talk to gipsies or invite them 
into the house. 

Flora and Fred said they would ask 
Fairy Forget-Me-Not to help them re¬ 
member all that mother said. 

Mother taught them how to play a new 
game called “Fisherman.” They invited 
in the neighbors’ children and stood in a 
ring. They chose one child to stand in- 


138 


Fairy Forget-Me-Not 


side the ring, singing to the tune of 
“Lightly Row,” 

“Make a wish, make a wish, 

Who will help me catch my fish? 
Make a wish, make a wish, 

Help me fill my dish; 

Let’s be merry, every one, 

Fishing is such jolly fun. 

Make a wish, make a wish, 

Help me catch my fish.” 

Any child standing in a circle called 
out, “I think of a fish beginning with the 
letter ‘S.’ ” The fisherman then said, 

“If I have my wish, 

You will name the fish.” 

He pointed to any child, who thought 
of “Sole” or “Salmon” or of any fish 
whose name began with the letter “S,” or, 
if he could not think of a fish whose name 


Fairy Forget-Me-Not 


139 


began with the letter, he went out of the 
game. 

You can play the game of “Fisherman,” 
if you like, but before you begin, 

To the dictionary go 
And study fish an hour or so; 
Perch and trout and salmon, mind, 
Mackerel, bass or blue-fish find; 
Study fish and don’t forget 
To name them like the alphabet; 
Find all the names of fish you can, 
And play the game of “Fisher¬ 
man.” 



















Chapter Ten 

IN MERRY MAY TIME 


CHAPTER 10. 

IN MERRY MAY TIME 


Once upon a time, Fairy Forget-Me- 
Not said to Flora and Fred, 

“The first of May, the first of May, 
Tomorrow will be our Moving Day.” 

Flora said, “I don’t have to have a Fairy 
remind me that I have to leave all my 
friends,” and Fred said, “We don’t have 
to have a Fairy remind us we are going 
to move into a new neighborhood and go 
to a new school.” 

Fairy Forget-Me-Not often whispered 
to them to cheer them up and said, 

“Have courage now, whistle and sing; 

Come, make the best of everything.” 


143 


144 Fairy Forget-Me-Not 

Donald Dunce came to say “Good-bye,” 
and said, 

“I really was very stupid once, 

No wonder they nick-named me 
‘Dunce/ ” 

Said Donald Dunce, “I’ve learned 
today 

It is just as easy to work as play.” 

The Calico Girl came running along 
and Willie Why said, “Why do you have 
to move? We have lived in the same house 
for five years.” 

The children called “Good-bye, good¬ 
bye,” and they were soon off and away 
for their new home. 

Next day they started for the new 
school. 

Said the faithful Family Clock, 

“The new school is around the block.” 


Faii’y Forget-Me-Not 


145 


Fred wore his new blue trousers and 
his new blue neck-tie and Flora wore 
her new pink dress and sun-bonnet. 

Fred said, “When I feel down-hearted, 
I carry my bag of marbles in my pocket.” 

Flora said, “I just sing little songs that 
I make up myself.” 

They reached the new school and stood 
in the school-room door. 

They stood a minute at the door; 

They had not seen the teacher before. 

They really wondered what to do, 

For every face they saw was new. 

Little “Button-Off,” and “Shorty,” and 
“Tall” 

Made remarks about them all; 

They said slyly, “Here comes Boy 
Blue; 

Here comes his sweetheart and she’s 
scared too.” 


146 Fairy Forget-Me-Not 

Were they scared? I guess they were. 
At that minute they would have done any¬ 
thing in the world to have been back in 
their own seats in their own school, but 
they only had one dreadful minute, for 
this was a delightful school. 

The teacher, Miss Manners, came and 
shook hands with them and the Thank- 
You Girl helped them find a hook for 
their wraps, and Susan Smile showed 
them their seats, and Isabel If-You- 
Please showed them where to find their 
lessons, and they began to feel quite at 
home when Walter Why began to ask 
questions, for he made them think of 
Willie Why at home. 

They played politeness games and ev¬ 
erything went well until they met Bully 
Ben from another room on the Play¬ 
ground. He called Fred names and said 
he was too little to fight. It was all Flora 


Fairy Forget-Me-Not 


147 


could do to persuade him not to have a 
fight then and there, and after they got 
back in school Fred remembered the For¬ 
tune-Teller said he would have-a fight 
over a Fair Lady. He said to himself, “I 
will fight Bully Ben if I happen to meet 
him on the way home, I know.” 

Right at this minute, sad to relate, 
The Ten O’Clock Scholar came in late. 

The children sang a new song to the 
tune of “Lightly Row,” 

Merry May, Merry May, 

Summer Sweet is on her way; 
Merry May, Merry May, 

Let us all be gay. 

Merry May comes in with flowers, 
Merry May brings springtime 
showers; 

“Merry May, Merry May, 
Summer’s on her way.” 


148 


Fairy Forget-Me-Not 


They learned a pretty story. They read 
that the month of May was named for 
the Roman Goddess, Maia. She had six 
sisters and Mercury, the swiftest runner 
in the world, was her son. He had wings 
upon his feet, so he could run swiftly, and 
wings upon his wand. When Mercury 
waved his wand, there was always peace. 

The teacher said, “If you want to see 
the Goddess Maia, you may meet her to¬ 
night.” 

Walter Why said, “Why didn’t you tell 
us before? Where can we meet her? Why 
don’t we call her Goddess May?” 

Fred said, “I know where to look for 
the Goddess Maia.” 

Flora said, “We can see her in the sky 
tonight, in a group of stars called ‘The 
Pleiades.’ ” 


Fairy Forget-Me-Not 


149 


Next day the teacher gave them a sur¬ 
prise. She said, when it came time for 
their Language Lesson, 

“Come, close your eyes, there’ll be a sur¬ 
prise 

For every boy and girl here who tries.” 

The children all closed their eyes and 
when the teacher tapped the bell they 
looked and saw a Lollipop Lady on every 
desk. 

The teacher said, 

“Every little child had better; 

Learn to write a pleasant letter; 

So, write a letter and do not stop 
’Till you’ve written Lady Lollipop.” 

The children all thought it fun to write 
to the Lollipop Ladies and Fred and Flora 
knew so much about them they wrote the 
best letters, of course. 


150 


Fairy Forget-Me-Not 


Flora wrote: 


Belmont, Wis. 
May 2nd, 1923. 


“Dear Lady Lollipop: 

Fred and I have been wondering where 
you went after you left the old Toy Shop. 

We wonder what boy and girl bought 
you for a penny. 

We have come to a new school, but we 
think we will like it very much. Please 
write to 

Your loving friend, 

Flora Pretend.” 

The next day the children were happy 
as could be, for they had another surprise. 
When they came to school, each child saw 
a tiny envelope on his or her desk. 









































Fairy Forget-Me-Not 


151 


Each child had a letter from a Lollipop 
Lady. The letters had good advice in them 
too. 

Fred’s letter was all in verse. It read, 

“Be on time, with smiling face, 

On Monday every child in place; 

On Tuesday, when you go to school, 

Be on time and keep each rule. 

On Wednesday try to read and spell : 

Do your lessons very well; 

On Thursday every teacher mind; 

On the Playground do be kind. 

On Friday a good report discover, 

For the school week is well over.” 

Fred learned to spell every day of the 
week, except Saturday and Sunday, and 
Flora said, “I will make a rhyme about 
those days myself,” but just as she was 
thinking about it, Bully Ben came and 



Chapter Eleven 


THE ROLLER SKATING 

RACE 
























CHAPTER 11 

THE ROLLER SKATING RACE 

One merry winter day, Flora looked 
about to see Fred, but he had gone off to 
play with the boys and she felt a little 
lonesome. 

She said, 

“Not a minute I will wait; 

I will borrow his roller skates.” 

She buckled on the skates and tried to 
stand on them. 

Down she went, as you’d suppose, 

And scratched her face and bruised 
her nose. 

She got up and fell again and went cry¬ 
ing into the house. She said. 


157 


158 


Fairy Forget-Me-Not 


“I have one trouble and another, 
How I miss my great big brother.” 

Fred came in just then and said, “Hur¬ 
rah! Hurrah! I am made captain of the 
football team.” 

He saw Flora sitting in a heap on the 
floor and said, 

“My goodness, sure as fate, 

Did you try to roller-skate?” 

He said he would hold her up and teach 
her how to skate. He said, 

“Mother, tell us, may we go 
On the sidewalk an hour or so?” 

Mother said, 

“Ask your coats, so cozy and warm, 

If they will keep you from all harm.” 











Q2* 


803-3 WANTED, A BRAKE 


mam 






































Fairy Forget-Me-Not 


159 


The children imagined the coats said, 

“Ask your caps in winter, too, 

If roller-skating’s the thing to do.” 

The caps seemed to whisper, 

“Mufflers for children and also mittens, 
Don’t forget the ‘Three Little Kittens.’ ” 

The children laughed merrily and said, 
“We don’t lose our mittens like the Three 
Little Kittens did long ago, for they are 
on a string we wear round our necks.” 

Out they went and 

The snow-shovel began to talk; 

The snow-shovel said, “Clean the 
walk, 

Clean the walk, for skating’s fun; 
Finish it when you’ve begun.” 

Flora and Fred took turns at shoveling 
off the walk and soon they had a place 
where they could skate. 


160 


Fairy Forget-Me-Not 


Fred held Flora up and said, “Don’t be 
afraid. You can stand up if you say you 
can.” 

Flora said, 

“Oh, dear! Oh dear! 

I’ll fall, I fear.” 

I don’t know how they would have got¬ 
ten along if Fairy Forget-Me-Not had 
not whispered to Flora, 

“Have courage now for a minute or so, 

Off and away skating you’ll go.” 

Suddenly, to Fred’s surprise, she got 
her balance and went skating alone down 
the street. The only trouble was, she 
couldn’t stop, now she had gotten started. 

“Oh dear!” she cried, “What a mistake, 

Wanted a brake, wanted a brake!” 


Fairy Forget-Me-Not 


161 


Fred ran and held her and said, “You 
are doing - finely.” 

After that, Flora begged for his skates 
every day. 

Now, the days went on a-pace, 
There was to be a skating race; 
There was only one pair of skates, 
you know, 

But into the race each wanted to go. 

No one had skates to loan, ’twas funny, 
And good skates cost a lot of money; 
They talked about it on going to bed, 
“What shall we do?” said Flora and 
Fred. 

One day Fred went out into the woods. 
There was snow everywhere. He heard a 
wee, wee voice sing over and over, 

“A rat-a-tat-tat, a-rat-a-tat-too, 

I’m making skates and making a 
shoe; 


162 


Fairy Forget-Me-Not 


I’ll make them both to fit your feet, 
If you will save me candy sweet.” 

Fred was sure it was the Fairy Shoe¬ 
maker, though he could see no one. 

He felt in his coat pocket and drew out 
a bag of candy and placed it beside the 
stone that the voice seemed to come from. 

He waited a long time. Then the stone 
rolled over and out came a wee, wee man 
with a wee tape measure and began to 
measure the foot print Fred had made in 
the snow. 

He sang, 

“Rat-a-tat-tat, a rat-a-tat-too, 

I’m making skates for me and you; 
Now keep your head in any case, 
Steady and slow will win the race.” 

Fred said, “Oh you cunning fellow! 
Are you really making skates for me?. 


Fairy Forget-Me-Not 163 


Will you come out and skate with me, 
too?” 


The wee, wee man sang - , 

“Ho! Ho! it’s no fun living - alone; 

Perhaps you’ll lend me your ice¬ 
cream cone.” 

So it went on for days and days, and 
days, and Fred shared many good things 
with the Fairy Shoemaker. 

One evening, when he got to the stone, 
there was a wonderful pair of skates, 
just his size. He put them on. 

They fitted and it seemed too good to 
be true. The wee, wee man came out and 
said with a friendly manner, 

“You’re a friend of mine, 

The ice is fine, 

I’ll teach you tricks seven or 
nine. ” 


164 


Fairy Forget-Me-Not 


Together they ran to the ice pond and 
skated merrily up and down and when 
the wee, wee man was about to win the 
race Fred grew so angry he shouted, 
“You are such a wee, wee man, I could 
crush you with my thumb and finger. You 
shall not win the race.” 

The Fairy Shoemaker was so surprised 
he climbed a tree and sat upon the 
branches, winking and blinking his eyes. 

“He did not mean to be angry on the 
spot,” 

Said little Fairy Forget-Me-Not. 

Fred looked at his feet. The skates had 
turned into a pair of rubbers three sizes 
too big and in a minute the wee, wee man 
had vanished. 

Fairy Forget-Me-Not said, 

“The Fairy Shoemaker says today 
That anger frightened him away.” 


Fairy Forget-Me-Not 


165 


“Oh, Oh, Oh,” cried Fred, “will he never 
come back?” 

Now, wasn’t it fine that one day Flora 
had heard the wee, wee man sing, 

“Save a penny, save a dime; 

You can spend another time.” 

Now, wasn’t it lucky she had listened 
to his advice and had saved $3.50, so when 
Fred told his adventures, she said, 

“Oh, Fred dear, never mind; 

The Fairy Shoemaker is kind.” 

“Do you think he will ever make me 
another pair of skates?” asked Fred. 

Every day the great Roller Skating 
Race grew nearer and nearer. 

Fred said, “We both use this pair of 
skates so much I wonder if the buckles 
will hold me up when the race begins.” 


166 


Fairy Forget-Me-Not 


The very day of the race Flora woke 
early and said, 

“Fred, you’d better 
Look for a letter, 

Right here in bed, 

Under your head.” 

Fred looked under his pillow and drew 
out a letter which said, “You are kind to 
your sister and even though you forget 
and get angry once in a while, you shall 
have the best skates that money can buy. 

Then, he for a penny, and ho for a dime, 
Enter the race and have a good time.” 

Fred was delighted, you may be sure, 
for under his bed were a brand new pair 
of skates. 

The children could hardly wait for the 
race to begin. They had a wonderful 
time and once, quite by accident, it looked 
as though a girl was going to win, and 


Fairy Forget-Me-Not 


167 


just as Fred began to get angry, Fairy 
Forget-Me-Not whispered, 

“Be careful what you think or say, 
For anger frightens fairies away.” 

He went on steady and slow and 
reached the goal ahead of the rest. 

Fred won the race and had a little gold 
star pinned on his coat. 

He often wondered where the skates 
came from, but no one would tell him. 

He guessed right, I am sure, for he 
kissed Flora on both cheeks and said, 

“I’ll save my pennies and then I’ll try 

Something nice for you to buy.” 

A wee, wee voice called, 

“A rat-a-tat-tat, a rat-a-tat-too, 
That’s fine, I quite agree with you; 


168 


Fairy Forget-Me-Not 


Flora and Fred always love each oth¬ 
er, 

Dear little, queer little sister and 
brother.” 


Chapter Twelve 


THE CIRCUS PLAY 


CHAPTER 12. 

THE CIRCUS PLAY 

Flora and Fred said one day to Mother, 

“We want to give a Circus Play, 

And invite friends from far away; 
So, may we send without delay 
Invitations to our Circus Play?” 

Mother said “Yes,” so that is the reason 
the Calico Girl was happy for a whole 
week, and Willie Why asked more ques¬ 
tions than ever, and Bennie Behind-Hand 
really tried to hurry a little and Donald 
Dunce worked harder than usual. 

Their little friends from far away 
Had invited them for a Circus Play. 

Flora and Fred trained Little Button- 
Off, and Shorty, and Tall, and Susan 


171 


172 


Fairy Forget-Me-Not 


Smile, and Isabel If-You-Please, and Bul¬ 
ly Ben was to speak a piece and he went 
about for days saying “Prologue” for 
was the name of his piece which was to 
introduce the Play. 

It was fun for days and days to drape 
screens for scenery and get rugs in or¬ 
der. Once Fred stopped and said, “What 
if our old friend, the Comical Circus 
Clown, should drop in.” 

Flora said, “What if he should!” 

The evening for the Play arrived at 
last and all the children came. Bully Ben 
stepped out on the platform and gave his 
“Prologue.” 

“Little friends, we are gathered here, 

We have come from far and near; 

Soon the Circus will appear, 

Quite proper at this time cf year. 


Fairy Forget-Me-Not 173 

Some mistakes may happen, too, 

Please excuse them if they do; 

At acting plays we’re somewhat new, 

But we will do our best for you.” 

Then the Big Parade began. 

Onto the stage and round and round 
went the children on all fours, as bears, 
and elephants, and camels with humps 
that would not stay in place, and the per¬ 
forming elephant did wonderful tricks 
for the clown. 

Some very exciting midgets went 
through a dumb-bell drill, and there was 
an exciting race between two tiny boys 
on kiddy cars. 

Small boys rode on hobby horses, and a 
Fortune-Teller told real fortunes with 
cards. 


174 


Fairy Forget-Me-Not 


Then came the tableaux. 

One was called “The Flower of the 
Family and the Belle of Belmont.” 

Every one guessed which pretty girl 
it might be and a shout went up to see, as 
the curtain rose, a sack of flour and the 
old School Bell. 

They were just getting ready for a 
snow scene and had scattered some cot¬ 
ton on the floor to look like real snow, 
when Johnny-Jump-Up, who had been 
visiting the children, walked in his sleep 
and came in with Wee Willie Winkie in 
his arms. He sat down and Brother Bow- 
Wow came at their heels. 

As quick as a flash, Fred put up a sign 
“Wanted a Home.” Then they let the 
curtain down and woke Johnny-Jump- 
Up, but he could never believe he had 
been in the play at all. 


























Fairy Forget-Me-Not 


175 


The Snow-Fairies gave a fancy dance, 
and just as it was over, who should peep 
in the window from behind but the Comi¬ 
cal Circus Clown. 

He had red and blue stripes painted on 
his face and he had on his clown suit and 
cap, of course. 

The little audience and actors all clap¬ 
ped their hands and cried, “A real live 
Clown! Hurrah! Hurrah for the Clown!” 

He jumped in the window and said, 

“I discover your Play is over; 

Of playing tricks I am a lover.” 

He switched off the lights, and in a sec¬ 
ond switched them on again, and said, 

“It was dark like a London fog; 

Who will speak the epilogue?” 


176 


Fairy Forget-Me-Not 


He explained that every good Play 
should have a piece spoken at the end as 
well as the beginning. As no one knew 
how to finish the Play, he said, “Let us 
sing a Circus Song.” So he taught them 
a song to the tune of “My Bonnie” from 
a College Song Book he had tucked un¬ 
der his arm, and he played the tune on a 
mouth organ. 

They sang, 

“My money makes such a commotion, 

My money’s a trouble to me, 

“My money makes such a commotion, 

Who’ll bring back my money to me? 

Chorus 

Bring back, bring back, 

Bring back my money to me, to 
me, 

Bring back, bring back, 

Oh bring back my money to me.” 


Fairy Forget-Me-Not 


177 


Then the most surprising thing hap¬ 
pened. 

The Clown touched his cap and out 
came shining pennies. He capered about 
the stage and everything he touched had 
a penny in it, and soon he was sending a 
shower of pennies all over the stage. 

The children cried “Hurrah! Hurrah!” 
and declared they never had such fun be¬ 
fore. 

Now, will you believe it? Johnny-Jump- 
Up fell asleep and walked in his sleep 
again with Wee Willie Winkie in his 
arms, and Brother Bow-Wow came look¬ 
ing so sorrowful that the Comical Circus 
Clown whisked out a camera and took 
their pictures and said, 

“I am a Clown, I go and come, 

’Tis sad, indeed, to want to roam, 

We should be kind to all who roam, 
‘Wanted a home, wanted a home!’ ” 


178 


Fairy Forget-Me-Not 


Fred and Flora ran up to him and said, 
“Oh Comical Circus Clown, will you stay 
with us always? We will let you sleep in 
one of our beds and share breakfast with 
you.” 

The Comical Circus Clown began to 
measure his legs and he measured Fred’s 
legs and said, 

“I want to thank you, that is all, 

But I could not sleep in a bed so 
small.” 

The Comical Circus Clown taught the 
children how to take paper flowers out of 
their hats, and how to keep three balls 
going in the air at once, and how to bal¬ 
ance a hoop on the nose. 

Then with a whisk and a bound, the 
Comical Circus Clown jumped out the 
window and the Circus Play was over. 


Fairy Forget-Me-Not 179 

Late that night, Flora woke Fred and 
said, “We forgot to ask the Comical Cir¬ 
cus Clown how he happened to come in 
just at the right moment when we were 
giving a Circus Play.” 

At this minute, Fairy Forget-Me-Not 
whispered, 

t 

“Is Johnny-Jump-Up still in the house? 

In his room it’s as still as a mouse.” 

“Dear me, isn’t he in bed?” asked Fred, 
and Flora ran to find he had walked 
downstairs again in his sleep. 

She said, “I’ll wake him on the spot; 

Thank you, Fairy Forget-Me-Not.” 

For many days after, the children all 
played Clown tricks and all summer they 
hoped that a circus would come to town. 

In August a circus did come and who 
should help sell tickets but the Comical 
Circus Clown. 


180 Fairy Forget-Me-Not 

A Comical Circus Clown who said, 

“Hurrah! Hurrah!” to Flora and Fred. 

Flora and Fred said, “Every day 

We have to practice our Circus Play; 

We hear you rap-a-tap on the big 
drum, 

But forgot to ask just why you come.” 

The Comical Circus Clown went onto 
the band stand and turned a somerset, 
so I wonder if Flora and Fred ever did 
find out why he came twice to visit them. 

The Comical Circus Clown did not for¬ 
get the children but shouted, 

“I’m a Circus Clown in Polka Dot, 
Ask questions of Fairy Forget-Me- 
Not; 

I’m a smiling Clown, in Polka-Dot- 
Gown, 

I’ve lost my frown on the way to 
town.” 


* 

Fairy Forget-Me-Not 181 

Flora and Fred waved their hands and 
shouted, 

“Hurrah! Hurrah, he is coming down; 

Hurrah! for the Comical Circus Clown.” 

He did come down, and to the surprise 
of the crowd, tucked Fred under one arm 
and Flora under the other and gave them 
two of the very best seats in the tent. 

And every time he passed up or down, 

They cried, “Hurrah for the Polka-Dot 
Clown!” 

To which he replied, 

“Polka-Dots from top to toe, 

Into the ring the Clown will go; 
Thank you for every word you said, 
Hurrah! Hurrah! for Flora and 
Fred; 


182 


Fairy Forget-Me-Not 


Hurrah! Hurrah! for the circus 
tent, 

Hurrah! for hours of merriment; 
Excuse me for standing up-side- 
down, 

Polka-Dot, Comical Circus Clown.” 






















































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































